BREAKING! EU AI Act Approved

Photo published by MEP Dragoș Tudorache on X after the vote of the EU AI Act.

Today the European Parliament approved the EU AI Act with a vote of 523 in favor, 46 against, and 49 abstentions. European Parliament Member Brando Benifei, co-rapporteur, described the outcome as a historic day.

“We have the first regulation in the world which puts a clear path for a safe and human centric development of AI. We have now got a text that reflects the parliament's priorities.” - MEP Brando Benifei.

AI Act co-rapporteur MEP Dragos Tudorache posted, "The AI Act has been fully adopted! Now on to the important part - implementation."

The AI Act has been fully adopted! Now on to the important part - implementation. pic.twitter.com/i3kxCeGO0O

— Dragoș Tudorache (@IoanDragosT) March 13, 2024

CAIDP President Merve Hickok applauded the outcome, "We have worked closely with the Parliament and the Commission throughout this process. Although there are still unresolved concerns about the use of AI systems for immigration and policing, we are very pleased with the outcome and congratulate all for this remarkable achievement. Now we must turn to the hard work of implementation and enforcement." Together with CAIDP founder Marc Rotenberg, Ms. Hickok has prepared a report for the European AI & Society Fund on "Making the AI Act Work: How civil society can ensure Europe's new regulation serves people and society" (2023). Ursula Pachl, Deputy Director General of BEUC - The European Consumer Organisation and a member of the CAIDP Board of Directors also praised the outcome, highlighting the new collective redress procedures. “Although the legislation should have gone further to protect consumers, the top priority for the European Commission and national governments should now be to show they are serious about the AI Act by implementing it without delay and providing the relevant regulators that will enforce it with the necessary resources,” Pachl said.